Author Archives: Madeline Sloan

Crime Prevention Update Nov 13 2014

It is hard to believe how quickly the semester is passing. I hope everyone enjoyed their fall break and is ready to enter the holiday season! Here are a few things to pass along from the Department:

Thank you to all who attended our annual Campus Safety Walk last week. We greatly appreciate all of the feedback we received from our participants on the safety and security of the College. The event served as a great way for the campus community to interact with their Public Safety Officers and actively participate in the physical security of the campus.
As Thanksgiving break is approaching, now is the time to prepare your residence if you are planning on going out of town for the holiday. For those of you residing in the downtown area, particularly students living in off-campus housing, you can contact the Charleston Police Department ((843) 720-2426) if you would like an officer to keep an eye on your residence while you are away. Any faculty, staff, or students living outside the immediate area are encouraged to call their local police department, as most law enforcement agencies offer this service.
In the past few weeks, we have received several questions regarding Public Safety’s role in the enforcement of the Tobacco-Free Campus Policy. As the policy states, effective implementation depends on the courtesy, cooperation, and respect of all members of the campus community. Although enforcement is a community effort, if Public Safety receives a call in reference to someone violating this policy, an officer will respond. Policy violation and discipline is outlined in section 7.0 of the policy. The tobacco-free campus map can be viewed here. For more information, please contact the tobacco-free committee.
We had great participation at the McAlister Family Fued event last night. Thank you to PSO Williams, SSO Chisolm, and the staff at Counseling and Substance Abuse Services for hosting this event.
Thank you to all of the students, faculty, and staff who participated in our R.A.D. program this semester. We were pleased with the high turn-out and are looking forward to hosting more classes in the spring. For more information, please visit our website or email rad@cofc.edu. Below are the class dates for next semester:

Spring 2015

3/17 5pm- 8pm

3/19 5pm- 8pm

3/24 5pm- 8pm

3/26 5pm- 8pm

As a reminder, the Department of Public Safety is available 24/7 to provide safety escorts to all students, faculty, and staff. The Cougar Shuttle is available for off-campus transportation on the downtown peninsula seven nights a week from 11:00 P.M. – 3:00 A.M., during the fall and spring semesters.
Be social with us! If you have not already, please follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for departmental news, upcoming events, and other important information. If you are having trouble accessing our pages, please make sure you are signed into your social media account.

Crime Prevention Tip:

If you are planning a holiday vacation, take simple steps to make your home look occupied. Have a trusted friend or neighbor collect mail, rake leaves, and take in/out garbage and recycling bins.

Crime Prevention Update Oct 30 2014

On behalf of Public Safety, we wish everyone a safe and happy Halloween. As we approach Fall Break, here are a few things to pass along from the Department:

Over the next few months, there will be on-going construction in the area of J lot and Jewish Studies. Please note that this area is off-limits, and any unauthorized entry into the construction site is considered trespassing. With the increase in activity, please continue to stay observant and report any suspicious activity you may see to Public Safety. Remember, you can report any non-emergency anonymously by calling the Crime Action Line (843)953-4998 or by filling out a Silent Witness form on our website.
Since the start of the academic year, there has been an increase in bicycle larcenies, particularly in the area surrounding New Student Programs and Berry and McAlister Residence Halls. Public Safety has made an effort to increase patrols in this area, in addition to working with on-campus partners to add additional bike racks throughout campus. We are asking for your help in reducing crime rates on campus by taking extra measures to secure your personal property. Never leave your bicycle unsecure, and refrain from locking it to fixed objects such as trees, light poles, etc. Public Safety recommends that you secure your bike with a U-Lock, which can be purchased at the campus bookstore, or any local bicycle shop.
The Department of Public Safety will be conducting our annual Campus Safety Walk on November 5, 2014 at 6:30pm. We will meet in the lobby of Stern Center. This is an opportunity for faculty, staff, and students to take back the campus by walking along with Public Safety officers to acknowledge any safety hazards or concerns. We highly encourage you to come out, participate, and enjoy free food with Public Safety.
Be social with us! If you have not already, please follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for departmental news, upcoming events, and other important information. If you are having trouble accessing our pages, please make sure you are signed into your social media account.

Crime Prevention Tip:

As you are celebrating Halloween this year, please use a heightened sense of awareness. If you are operating a motor vehicle, be cognizent of trick-or-treaters, especially in residential areas. Young children may not always look before crossing the street.

If you plan on partaking in Halloween festivities, remember that no one over 16 may wear a mask in public, and even that is only allowed for actual Trick-or-Treat activities. If attending a late night or costume party, people must wait until they arrive to put on any masks.

Crime Prevention Update Oct 17 2014

We are half way through the month of October and before you know it winter break will be here. I hope the semester is flying by smoothly for everyone. With the fall break quickly approaching, here are a few things to keep in mind from Public Safety:

We have been taking many steps to improve the overall safety of our campus and enhance our crime prevention program. We greatly appreciate the feedback from our bi-weekly emails! Now you have an opportunity to be more involved and interact with Public Safety to make our campus safer. The Department of Public Safety will be conducting our annual Campus Safety Walk on November 5, 2014 at 6:30pm. We will meet in the lobby of Stern Center. This is an opportunity for faculty, staff, and students to take back the campus by walking along with Public Safety officers to acknowledge any safety hazards or concerns. We highly encourage you to come out, participate, and enjoy free food with Public Safety.
As you all know the Department of Public Safety has teamed up with Safe Zone to increase awareness and understanding of issues faced by the LGBTQQAAI community. We have made a dedication to the principle of service and inclusion of the LGBTQQAAI community in residence halls, classes, student groups and the community at large. As a part of this initiative, we encourage those of you who are interested to participate in Safe Zone training. This training is designed for individuals on the College of Charleston campus who are interested in learning more about Safe Zone and the opportunity to become an Ally to the LGBTQQAAI communities on campus. For more information you go to the Safe Zone webpage.
We have had a great turn out this year for our Rape Aggression Defense program, including faculty and staff participation. We are offering one more for the semester and encourage female faculty and staff to participate, especially if you stay late on campus. The dates for the next class will be Saturday November 8^th and 22^nd from 2pm to 8pm. For more information you can email RAD@cofc.edu
If you see any suspicious or unusual activity, please notify law enforcement immediately.
- Non-emergency (843) 953-5609
- Emergency (843) 953-5611
- Report crime anonymously go to Silent Witness
- Be social with us! If you have not already, please follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for departmental news, upcoming events, and other important information. If you are having trouble accessing our pages, please make sure you are signed into your social media account.

Crime Prevention Tip:

Protection of your personal belongings is extremely important. Lock valuable items up when not in use and keep records about your valuables. Photographs, receipts, serial numbers, and good descriptions of your valuables can be crucial in locating them if they are stolen. Public Safety can assist in marking your belongings discretely.

Crime Prevention Update Oct 01 2014

The fall semester has continued to pass by so quickly. It is hard to believe it is October already. I hope everyone is enjoying fall thus far. As the weather cools down, here are a few things to pass along from the Department:

As a follow up from our Community Notification released last month, I would like to remind everyone of the recent moped thefts in the area surrounding the campus. Properly storing and securing your moped can greatly reduce your risk of becoming a victim of theft. Be sure to park your vehicle in a well-lit and highly visible area. In addition, immobilize your moped when not in use by securing the wheels with a locking device and/or locking the moped to a fixed object. It can also be helpful to record descriptive information about your vehicle, such as, the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), License Plate number, make, model, color, and unique characteristics. Remember, if you see suspicious or unusual activity, please notify law enforcement immediately.
As many of you know, the streets throughout campus can often times become congested with bicyclists and skateboarders. When laws and ordinances are not followed, this can become a hazard to both pedestrians and motorists. The Department of Public Safety has been working with city officials on the enforcement of these issues. We are currently waiting on an allotted court time to appear before the City Magistrate regarding these violations. I know this has been an ongoing concern for the campus community, so I will continue to keep you updated on our progress.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to making National Campus Safety Awareness Month a success. We were pleased with the participation and turn out to the many events offered throughout the month. A special thank you to all of our partners: Victim Services, Counseling and Substance Abuse, Residence Life, Center for International Education, Emergency Management, Community Relations, and Student Life.
Be social with us! If you have not already, please follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for departmental news, upcoming events, and other important information. If you are having trouble accessing our pages, please make sure you are signed into your social media account.

Crime Prevention Tip:

Avoid walking alone, especially at night. Travel in groups and use well-lit walkways. Increase your awareness by staying off your phone and refrain from using headphones. The Department of Public Safety is available 24/7 to provide safety escorts to all students, faculty, and staff. The Cougar Shuttle is available for off-campus transportation on the downtown peninsula seven nights a week from 11:00 P.M. – 3:00 A.M., during the fall and spring semesters.

Campus Crime Rate Decreasing

This article, written by CofC student Samantha Rodriguez, was featured in CisternYard Media, College of Charleston’s Official Independent Student Media Network.

It seems as though timely warning e-mails and campus community notifications have been filling our inboxes more than ever. This leads many of us to question whether or not campus crime is on the rise. According to an interview with Officer Sloan at Public Safety, the amount of crimes on campus are actually going down. In fact, the amount of crime here at The College has significantly decreased since 2012.

Officer Sloan describes the increase of e-mails to be a normal phenomenon for this time of the year. “At the beginning of the school year, crime rates are always higher because there are freshman that are coming to campus who have never been away from home, battling with roommate issues, alcohol consumption, etc.”

“Another time when we expect an increase of crime on campus are at the end of the school year. When the weather gets warmer, there’s more outdoor activity,” Officer Sloan stated in interview.

The most common crimes on campus involve larcenies, or thefts. “A lot are preventable because those are crimes of opportunity. A lot of our thefts tend to come from the dining halls and Addlestone. Oftentimes, you see people get up to do something and leave their possessions behind. They come back and realize that it it went missing,” Sloan explained.

“Another issue is with bikes on campus. You see people not locking them properly, or just using cheap locks that easily can be broken. We recommended using ‘u-locks’ that are locked and unlocked solely by key.”

Amongst larceny, another common crime deals with alcohol violations in the dormitories. However, Officer Sloan insists that our numbers are not disproportionate to any other college campus.

Sloane put things into perspective when she explained, “Campus is about four blocks long, (Warren to Wentworth) and roughly three blocks wide (King to Coming). Enrolled, there are about 12,000 students, not counting faculty and staff. With that great of a population density compared to any other area with similar attributes, our crime rates are relatively low.”

With reassurance that crime here at the College is pretty normal, Officer Sloan wished to provide the campus community with some words of advice. “Always be aware of your surroundings. A lot of the time, you see someone walking down the street texting with their ear buds in, not aware of their surroundings or what is going on. A steady awareness at all times goes a long way.”

Public Safety would like to remind all students that they are available 24/7. They offer escorts home to those on-campus or to any immediate residential area. You can always avoid walking home late night with the Cougar Shuttle, which is available from 11pm-3 am, 7 days a week.

National Campus Safety Awareness Month- Week 4

We are entering our last full week of National Campus Safety Awareness Month, and this week’s theme is Fire Safety & Awareness. While this week is not as busy as past weeks, there are still some important events being held.

Campus Safety Awareness Month events being offered this week are as follows:

Public Safety Town Hall: Our Crime Prevention Officer will be hosting a Town Hall meeting for faculty and staff in Stern 206 on September 23^rd starting at 2:30pm. Come with any questions, comments, or concerns you may have and have an informal discussion with representatives of the Department of Public Safety.

Office of Victim Services Movie Night: Come join the Office of Victim Services as they show an SVU Episode covering the topic of a sexual assault on campus and how the college responded. This event will be held in Stern Center Room 206 on September 23^rd from 5:30-7:30pm, and there will be FREE FOOD!

Safety Abroad: Are you planning on going abroad during your time at CofC? The Center of International Education is sponsoring a drop-in for Campus Safety Awareness Month to learn more on how to be safe while you are abroad! We’ll cover topics such as staying safe while traveling during your program, health considerations, and what resources are available to you. We will have fun trivia to share with you. You can also talk to former study abroad students and international students on their experiences abroad, and learn about studying abroad through CofC. All are welcome regardless of whether you would like to study abroad, do volunteer work abroad, or just travel abroad. This event will be in Berry Residence Hall Room 103 from 6-8pm on Tuesday September 23.

Breakfast with Public Safety: Join Public Safety in Cougar Mall on Thursday September 25^th starting at 9am. We will be serving bagels from Charleston Bagel Company, and coffee will be provided.

Student Government Association Bicycle Auction: The SGA will be hosing the annual bicycle auction on George Street in front of the Stern Center on Friday September 26^th from 10am-3pm. Come early for the best selection!

Bicycle Rodeo: Come join our International Police Mountain Bike Association instructor as he hosts a bicycle rodeo on George Street on Friday September 26^th from 10am-3pm. Learn about important safety considerations as you test your cycling skills through an obstacle course used to qualify officers to ride bicycles on duty.

We hope that you are able to make it to some of these events, and thank you once again for your support during Campus Safety Awareness Month.

Crime Prevention Update Sep 18 2014

First and foremost, thank you to everyone who has contributed to making National Campus Safety Awareness Month a success. We look forward to your continued participation throughout the remainder of the month. Here are a few things to pass along from the Department:

In response to a suggestion from one of our faculty members, we will now be posting road closures on the Public Safety webpage. This information will include the street name, the date it will be closed, and the time frame in which there will be restricted vehicular access. As we receive street blocking permits, we will update the information here.
As part of the Department’s commitment to enhancing the relationship with students, faculty, and staff, we have launched an “Ask an Officer” feature to our website. By filling out a simple form, you can ask a question to Public Safety, even anonymously. One of our officers will respond to you promptly.
As part of September’s National Campus Safety Awareness Month, Public Safety has hosted several town hall meetings for the campus community. Our last session will be held on September 23^rd at 2:30pm in Stern 206. This is open to all faculty and staff members. This is a great opportunity to meet your Public Safety officers, ask questions, and share suggestions, comments, and concerns. As always, I encourage you to actively participate in safety and security around campus, so I anticipate a good turnout! All sessions will be held in Stern Center room 206. Refreshments and snacks will be served.
Be social with us! If you have not already, please follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for departmental news, upcoming events, and other important information. If you are having trouble accessing our pages, please make sure you are signed into your social media account.

Crime Prevention Tip:

Do your part to keep our campus secure. When leaving your residence hall or office, be sure to lock the door behind you. Also, avoid propping doors. This can lead to unauthorized visitors having access to our campus buildings.

As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions, comments, or concerns.

What is Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct?

The following information on sexual assault and sexual misconduct was gathered by PSO Karen Noffsinger.

What Constitutes Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct?

Sexual Misconduct is an umbrella term used to summarize the full range of unacceptable behaviors of a sexual nature, including sexual assault/violence. It includes sexual assault, acts of sexual violence, sexual harassment, sexual coercion, sexual exploitation, and other acts of misconduct of a sexual nature. What these acts have in common is a lack of consent.

Sexually inappropriate conduct is any unwelcome sexual conduct that may not rise to the level of sexual harassment or sexual exploitation, but that is sexual in nature. Examples include, but are not limited to, posting or showing sexually explicit or offensive material; an isolated occurrence of obscene or sexually offensive gestures and comments; lewdness; exposure of one’s self to another person without that person’s consent.

Sexual Assault is any sexual intercourse by any person upon another person, without consent. It covers a range of acts from unwanted touching and fondling, to attempted and completed rape. It includes oral, anal, and vaginal penetration, however slight, with any object. Sexual assault is a crime. It is a crime of power, not lust, and it is intended to hurt, control, and humiliate another person. Sexual assault is most often perpetrated by someone known to the victim—an acquaintance, friend, date, classmate, coworker, or intimate partner. About 90% of sexual assaults on college students are committed by someone the victim knows. Sexual Assault occurs when a person is unable to consent; when he or she is forced, threatened, intimidated or physically or mentally incapacitated. Alcohol and/or drug intoxication can produce such a state of incapacitation.

Sexual contact involves non-consensual touching of the private parts of a person, either under or above clothing, with lewd and lascivious intent. Sexual touching is contact of a sexual nature, however slight.

Sexual misconduct or sexual assault can include coercion. Coercion can take the form of pressure, threats, intimidation, or the use of physical force, either expressed or implied, which places a person in fear of immediate harm or physical injury. Coercion can also take the form of pressure to consume alcohol or other drugs prior to engaging in a sexual act.

Aggravated Coercion is defined by South Carolina Law as “the actor threatens to use force or violence of a high and aggravated nature to overcome the victim or another person, if the victim reasonably believes that the actor has the present ability to carry out the threat, or threatens to retaliate in the future by the infliction of physical harm, kidnapping, or extortion, under circumstances of aggravation, against the victim or any other person.”

Is It Sexual Assault If…

I didn’t resist physically?

People respond to an assault in different ways. Just because you didn’t resist physically doesn’t mean it wasn’t sexual assault — in fact, many victims make the good judgment that physical resistance would cause the attacker to become more violent.

I was drunk or the person who assaulted me was drunk?

Alcohol and drugs are not an excuse – or an alibi. The key question is: did you consent or not? Regardless of whether you were drunk or sober, if the act was nonconsensual, it is sexual assault. If you were so drunk or drugged that you passed out and were unable to consent, it was sexual assault. Both people must be conscious and willing participants.

I am dating or used to date the person who assaulted me?

It does not matter whether the other person is an intimate partner or an ex-partner, and it doesn’t matter if you’ve had sex in the past. If it is nonconsensual this time, it is sexual assault.

I don’t remember the assault?

Just because you don’t remember being assaulted doesn’t necessarily mean it didn’t happen and that it wasn’t sexual assault. Memory loss can result from the ingestion of “rape drugs” and from excessive alcohol consumption. If you have reason to believe that sexual activity occurred without your consent, contact the Campus Police, People Against Rape or Campus Victim Services.

I was asleep or unconscious when it happened?

If you were asleep or unconscious, then you didn’t give consent. And if you didn’t give consent, then it was sexual assault.

I thought “no” but didn’t say it?

It depends on the circumstances. If you didn’t say no because you were legitimately scared for your life or safety, then it is sexual assault.

Consent

Consent is granted when a person freely, actively, and knowingly agrees at the time to participate in a particular sexual act with another person.

A person is considered incapable of giving consent if he or she is:

(1) Under the age of consent (which is 16 in South Carolina),

(2) Mentally Defective (as defined by South Carolina Code of Laws as being “a person suffers from a mental disease or defect which renders the person temporarily or permanently incapable of appraising the nature of his or her conduct.”)

(3) Mentally Incapacitated (as defined by South Carolina Code of Laws as being “a person is rendered temporarily incapable of appraising or controlling his or her conduct whether this condition is produced by illness, defect, the influence of a substance or from some other cause.”), or

(4) Physically Helpless (as defined by South Carolina Code of Laws as ”a person is unconscious, asleep, or for any other reason physically unable to communicate unwillingness to act. “)

Consent exists when mutually understandable words and/or actions demonstrate a willingness to participate in a mutually agreed-upon activity at every stage of that sexual activity. Consent can be revoked by either party at any stage. Consent cannot be assumed from partner silence, manner of dress, or based on a previous or ongoing sexual relationship.

South Carolina Legal Definitions

The South Carolina Code of Laws defines “Sexual Battery” as “sexual intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, anal intercourse, or any intrusion, however slight, of any part of a person’s body or of any object into the genital or anal openings of another person’s body, except when such intrusion is accomplished for medically recognized treatment or diagnostic purposes.”

“Private parts” is defined as “the genital area or buttocks of a male or female or the breasts of a female.”

South Carolina defines “Intimate Parts” as the “primary genital area, anus, groin, inner thighs, or buttocks of a male or female human being and the breasts of a female human being. “

Campus Safety Awareness Month- Week 3

We are entering our third week of National Campus Safety Awareness Month, and this week’s theme is Emergency Preparedness and Response. We have a busy week ahead of us with some important programs being offered.

There will be two Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) sessions this week. The first on September 15^th at the N.E. Miles Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC), and the second is also at ECDC on September 17^th. Both sessions will be from 5pm to 8pm. Please remember that you must have attended the previous session to be able to participate in these sessions as the R.A.D. program is a 4 part class that builds upon each previous session. If you would like to inquire about upcoming R.A.D. classes being offered, please e-mail RAD@cofc.edu. Also, for more information on R.A.D., visit the R.A.D. website.

Campus Safety Awareness Month events being offered this week are as follows:

Active Shooter Response for Staff and Students: This event is being offered by Emergency Management and will be offered on Monday (September 15^th) and Thursday (September 18^th). Keith Jones, a Protective Security Advisor with the Department of Homeland Security, will be offering 30 minute sessions on the concept of “RUN. HIDE. FIGHT. Surviving an Active Shooter Event” multiple times throughout both days. Monday’s sessions will be offered at 10:00am, 11:00am, 12:00pm, 1:00pm, 2:00pm, 3:00pm, and 4:00pm. Thursday’s sessions will be offered at 10:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm, 3:30pm, and 4:30pm. All session will be held in Stern 205.

Community Emergency Response Teams Class/Participant Information and Sign-Up: CSPO H. Sosa of the Charleston Police Department will be in Stern Center Lobby for an information session and “sign-up” for interest in the program. The information sessions will be held on Tuesday (September 16^th) from 12:00pm – 12:30pm, Wednesday (September 17^th) 2:00pm – 2:30pm, Thursday (September 18^th) 3:30pm – 4:00pm. For more information on C.E.R.T., visit the F.E.M.A. webpage for the Community Emergence Response Team website.

Home and Business Earthquake Safety and Mitigation (FEMA 909-A): This class will be held on Tuesday from 8:00am – 10:00am and Wednesday from 10:00am – 12:00am in Stern Center 205.

QPR (Suicide Awareness): This class is being sponsored by Counseling and Substance Abuse. QPR is a suicide prevention training which helps people develop vital first aid skills in recognizing potential signs of serious distress, questioning the person, persuading the person to seek help, and referring them to the appropriate resources. Classes will be: Monday in Stern 201 from 12:00pm – 1:30pm, Tuesday in Robert Scott Small 252 from 3:00pm – 4:30pm, Wednesday in Robert Scott Small 251 from 3:00pm – 4:30pm, Thursday in Stern 201 from 10:50am – 12:20pm, and Friday in Stern 201 from 10:00am – 11:30am.

Breakfast with Public Safety: Join Public Safety in Cougar Mall on Wednesday September 17 starting at 9:30am. We will be serving bagels from Charleston Bagel Company, and coffee will be provided.

Public Safety Town Hall: On September 17^th, our Crime Prevention Officer will be hosting a Town Hall meeting for Faculty in Stern 206 starting at noon. Come with any questions you may have and have an informal discussion with representatives of the Department of Public Safety.

We hope that you are able to attend some of the programs being offered, and thank you for helping make National Campus Safety Awareness Month a success so far.

Road Closures

Please make note of the following road closures:

From September 10, 2014 to September 30, 2014, the east lane of St. Philip Street (from Vanderhorst Street to Wentworth Street) will be closed from 9am to 3pm.

On September 21, 2014 George Street (from Coming Street to St. Philip Street) will be closed from 11am to 5pm

On September 26, 2014 George Street (from Glebe Street to Coming Street) will be closed from 7am to 3:30pm

On October 24, 2014 George Street (from Coming Street to St. Philip Street) will be closed from 5pm to 1am

On October 26, 2014 George Street (from St. Philip to Glebe Street) will be closed to from 3pm to 9pm. Glebe Street will still be accessible from Coming Street and Wentworth Street, but not from St. Philip Street.

On December 1, 2014 from 2pm until 10:30pm George Street, from the intersection at St. Philip Street to the Intersection at Coming Street, will be closed to vehicular traffic for a college event.

On March 20, 2015 from 11am until 7pm George Street from St. Philip Street to Glebe Street will be closed to vehicular traffic due to a college event. Glebe Street may still be accessed from the Coming Street side of George Street.

This list will be updated as we receive street blocking permits, so continue to check back in for updated information.